The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-03
SOUTH SEA CoURTsHIP.
Eccentricities of the Natives of the
Navigator Group

From the San Francisco Examiner.
DR.. W, B. Waller, of Caldwell, Ohio, re-
turned on the last steamer after four
months residence in the islands of the Navi-
gator group He gave some strange Incl
dents of his experiences there, and of the
queer habits of the bronzed natives, to a
representative of the Examiner at the
Grand Hotel yesterday.
The Samoans are a simple-minded, hon
est people, said he 1T has been charged
that they steal everything they can lay their
hands on, but this is a mistake Thev lust
take it, Almost everything is common
property. Stop at one of their reed cabins
in the bush, and you can't tell whether the
folks there own the cabin or not. Perhaps
they are just occupying it for week, while
the builders of it are away occupying
somebody else's cabin. Or, perhaps, two
families are there together. LIT Samoan
drop into any cabin and see a coat he wants
and he Just takes it, It's all right. The
owner of it will take the next one he sees
anywhere, or if he asks for the one he had
he can readily get it back. Just so with
every hing they have.
1.-The Navigator Island people never kiss.
They simply rub noses And should young
man wish to marry girl he, if he has a
servant, simply sends him to the girl.
stating that his master likes her AMI would
like to marry her. If she is willing to marry
him she sends back word, naming an early
evening when she will meet him. The meet
ing usually takes place in the bush back of
the girls home. 1t is the trysting place,
and here everything is talked over, the
lovers sitting upon the ground, and every
thing is arranged.
Perhaps the next day, or very soon
thereafter. they disappear, without saying
a word to any body. They may he gone
four or six weeks in the bush before any
body hears from them OF has the least ink
ling of where they are. Then they as sud
denly reappear, whereupon they are formal
" joined in marriage by one of the chiefs
or missionaries, and all their friends Join in
giving them a big dinner of pork Then
they are substantially married, but should
either grow tired of the other, he or she
simply removes to one of the other islands,
where the party is as free again as though
never married. the ceremony not holding
go there, nor, in fact, at home, after
little time.
The Samoan girls marry at the age of 10
or IL years They are then as nlaguificently
developed physically as they ever are, but
in mind they are oftentimes but little else
than children.
"Another thing about these strange
natives of the Navigator group is that they
are double iointed, and that is why they are
such fine dancers, and are, altogether, the
most graceful people in the world. Their
legs az the knee joint, their arms at the ell
bows and their shoulders, with their ball
and socket joints, are reversible in way
that would astonish you. The elbow and
knee joints can be bent exactly contrary
to the natural condition of all other persons.
1.-THE missionaries have taught the Sa-
means to avoid profanity, and they never
swear III their presence, but outside of it
they think it is all right, and | have heard
them cuss like troopers, and half hour
after lead family prayer with a fervor
that is amazing. They are devout people,
and, with all their occasional profanity, are
never angry. They are the most even
tempered people l ever saw